Applications

Ultrasound has been established as the only accurate method to measure bolt tension in the field. With 26 years dedicated experience we are the most experienced and skillful in the world. We have solved failures on:

F1 Racing Engines

Grinding Mills

Crushers

Heat Exchangers

Valves

Our expertise is unique allowing us to provide bolted joint training for Technicians and Engineers in the subjects.

Ultrasonic Bolt Elongation Measurement

Flange Joint Analysis

Analysis of Bolted Joint Failure Modes

Hydraulic Bolt Tensioning Options

Gasket Selections

Material Properties

The combination of analysis, calculation and ultrasonic measurement provides us with a total picture of bolted joint performance. This allows us to make informed, considered proposals that deliver a 100% failure free plant.

Many designers overlook the maintainability of bolted joints. Heat Exchangers have too many small bolts, Mill Liners are a series of rough surfaces, Valve Joints are too short, there is no suitable reaction point to torque against, the list goes on…

Grinding mills have critical fasteners that hold the structure together. If they have incorrect pre-load and loosen the ramifications are dire. Historically these bolts were torqued to 75% of the yield strength of the material. When you consider that the torque to tension relationship is normally regarded as + / - 25% it’s easy to see how they can easily be over or under tightened.

Our service has been used to eliminate these failure modes on 50+ mills around the world. Find out more

Eliminate liner bolt failures

Reduce Shutdown durations

Eliminate re-torquing

Special techniques not requiring bolt end machining

Liner bolt failures are extremely common. These can cost production losses and be expensive to repair.

We have developed systems, services and products that prevent these failures but also reduce the existing shutdown durations and eliminate re-torquing. Find out more

We first became involved with these in 1995 on North Sea Offshore cranes. Together with Leibherr and Lloyds of London we extended the statutory replacement period from 6 to 11 years. Find out more

The drive mechanism relies on bolted joints to secure the boom to the drive motor. These bolts are clearly critical but often only torqued.

Our service ensures they are originally tightened to the correct pre-load and is used periodically to re-measure in-service tension. Often they relax over time and we simply re-adjust them to maintain equipment health. Find out more

Industrial Diesel Engine Con Rods

Cylinder Heads

Power Generation, Industrial and Commercial Diesels

F1 Con Rods

Exhaust Manifolds

Many engine components are critical to the reliability of we have provided solutions to many engine manufacturers including:

The codes for heat exchanger designs allows Engineers to minimise flange geometry. This saves initial costs but leads to high failure rates.

High multitudes (36-84..) of small diameter bolts complies and has adequate strength but leads to very high interactional pre-load losses when they are tightened, consequently they regularly leak.

We measure each bolt to identify the "highs and lows". Adjust the "lows" (which normally reduces the "highs") and deliver an evenly tensioned flange joint. This ALWAYS results in long lasting leak free joints.

Such is the case with liner bolts that have accumulated a number of failures in the past.

The question is, how does it happen, why does it occur, and what can be done to prevent it from causing problems in the future?

Boltstress Ultrasonics got to the bottom of this situation and conducted a thorough ultrasonic bolting measurement and analysis of the Mills in question. This task led to numerous revelations, which is presented in this post.

For the last ten years, our liner bolt specialists have worked with clients in need of diagnostics and solutions for problems with their mill liner bolts. One particular mine experienced an alarming one-a-week liner lifter bolt failure.

Fast forward to today, Boltstress prides itself as being a dependable company with a highly competent maintenance crew that carries out ANY bolt-related works.

In any business, time is money. This is why downtime caused by equipment failure and breakdown can result in hundreds and thousands of profit loss. Mining companies, for instance, rely on heavy machinery and equipment to keep their operations going. But what if machinery breaks down? How much is lost and what can be done to prevent this issue?

The failure rates heat exchanger (HX) and pressure vessel (PV) flanges
is the worst/highest of all joints in the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical
industries. Our aim is to eliminate these and provide faster bolt
tightening tooling & methods.